Stony Brook: the complete school report for parents
Stony Brook rates 4 of the 18 admission factors Very Important, among them course rigor, GPA and test scores. With a 48.2% admit rate and 70% of enrolled students at a 3.75 GPA or above, the transcript is the entry ticket and scores are optional but help when they are strong. Major matters more than the name on the diploma here: five years out, Computer Engineering graduates earn a median $128,966 against $33,435 for Fine and Studio Arts.
Stony Brook is officially Stony Brook University. Admissions figures below come from its 2025-2026 Common Data Set (see the source), with the admission-factor grid re-read from that file on 2026-09-20.
Is Stony Brook a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Stony Brook against the figures above. No account needed.
What does Stony Brook actually weigh in admissions?
Stony Brook rates 4 of the 18 factors "Very Important": course rigor, GPA, test scores, the essay. It does not consider 1 of them at all. Every college reports these weights in section C7 of its Common Data Set; below is Stony Brook's 2025-2026 answer, read from the grid in its own file.
| Factor | How Stony Brook rates it |
|---|---|
| course rigor | Very Important |
| GPA | Very Important |
| test scores | Very Important |
| the essay | Very Important |
| extracurricular activities | Considered |
| recommendations | Important |
| personal qualities | Considered |
| talent | Considered |
| class rank | Considered |
| demonstrated interest | Considered |
| the interview | Considered |
| legacy | Considered |
| first-generation status | Considered |
| geography | Considered |
| state residency | Considered |
| volunteer work | Considered |
| work experience | Considered |
| religious affiliation | Not Considered |
Does Stony Brook consider how hard my child’s courses were?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The senior-year schedule should keep its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten.
Does Stony Brook consider GPA?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors.
Does Stony Brook consider SAT or ACT scores?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. A score at or above the middle-50 range is close to expected here.
Does Stony Brook consider the application essay?
Yes. It is one of the most important factors. The essay is doing as much work as the transcript.
Does Stony Brook consider extracurricular activities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider recommendation letters?
Yes. It is an important factor.
Does Stony Brook consider character and personal qualities?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider a special talent or ability?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider class rank?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider demonstrated interest?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider an interview?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider legacy status?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. It can act as a tiebreaker but will not carry a weak application.
Does Stony Brook consider being first-generation?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor. Say so on the application; it is read as context.
Does Stony Brook consider where we live?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider state residency?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider volunteer work?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider work experience?
Yes, but only as a secondary factor.
Does Stony Brook consider religious affiliation?
No. Stony Brook does not consider it.
What GPA do admitted students actually have?
70% of enrolled students had a 3.75 GPA or above. The average was 94.48 on a 100 scale, reported for 99.95% of the entering class. This is the school’s own distribution, not an estimate from its admit rate.
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 45.43% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 24.76% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 17.59% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 7.75% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 4.32% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.13% |
| 2.00–2.49 | 0.03% |
What is the Stony Brook waitlist really like?
Stony Brook offered a place on its waiting list to 10,563 applicants and 5,191 accepted one. 3,462 were ultimately admitted. That is 66.7% of those who waited.
Is transferring in easier than applying as a freshman?
Stony Brook admitted 44.1% of 7,021 transfer applicants, against 48.2% of first-year applicants. The two routes are similarly competitive here. The minimum college GPA considered is 2.8.
When do we apply, and does timing change the odds?
Stony Brook reports its early rounds below.
| Regular application deadline | January 15 |
|---|---|
| Decisions released | April 1 |
| Reply / deposit deadline | May 1 |
| Early Decision offered | No |
| Early Action offered | Yes |
| Early Action deadline | November 1 |
| Application fee | $50 |
| Fee waiver available | Yes |
| Deferred admission offered | Yes |
What does my child need to take in high school?
Stony Brook requires 14 academic units and recommends 19. A college-preparatory program is recommended. A GED is accepted.
| Subject | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 years | 4 years |
| Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| Science | 3 years | 4 years |
| Foreign language | Not stated | 3 years |
What will Stony Brook actually cost us?
Families pay an average of $18,784 a year at Stony Brook after grants and scholarships, against a published in-state tuition of $7,070. The published price is not what most families pay. The university reports meeting 59.5% of demonstrated need on average. It also gave 1,520 merit awards averaging $3,672 to first-years with no demonstrated need.
What families at each income level actually paid:
| Family income | Average net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $12,943 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $15,432 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $20,728 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $23,424 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,716 |
46% of Stony Brook graduates borrow, leaving with an average of $25,283 in debt, which the federal data puts at about $193 a month in repayment. Stony Brook’s net price calculator gives your own figure.
Does a degree from Stony Brook pay off?
Graduates earn a median $74,502 ten years after entering, and $59,492 at six years. 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years. 72% are actively paying down their loans three years in.
Four-year net cost against that earnings premium:
| Family income | Four-year net cost | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $51,772 | 1.7 |
| $30,000–$48,000 | $61,728 | 2.0 |
| $48,000–$75,000 | $82,912 | 2.7 |
| $75,000–$110,000 | $93,696 | 3.1 |
| Over $110,000 | $110,864 | 3.6 |
A scale, not a forecast: it assumes aid and earnings hold steady.
$128,966 to $33,435, depending on the major. Median earnings five years out at Stony Brook:
| Major | Median earnings, 5 years | Graduates a year |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Engineering | $128,966 | 56 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $106,814 | 44 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $106,785 | 219 |
| Information Science/Studies | $101,997 | 68 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $97,629 | 99 |
| Applied Mathematics | $89,923 | 399 |
| Human Computer Interaction | $89,583 | 101 |
| Physics | $85,544 | 63 |
| Economics | $80,632 | 296 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $52,375 | 66 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $42,521 | 1 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $33,435 | 45 |
College Scorecard, by field of study; highest and lowest shown.
Will my child actually graduate?
89% of first-years return for a second year. 77% within six (2019 cohort). The rate holds up across income: 80.3% of Pell-grant recipients graduate within six years against 75.2% of everyone else, a gap of -5.1 points.
How big are the classes?
39% of class sections have fewer than 20 students, while 8% have 100 or more. The student-faculty ratio is 19:1, and 62% of faculty are full-time. Both are true at once: 8% of sections seat 100 or more, and those are the introductory lectures. Accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
What is life at Stony Brook like?
18,615 undergraduates, 11% of first-years from out of state. 71% of freshmen live in university housing, falling to 52% across all undergraduates. Greek life is small: 1.5% of men join a fraternity and 3.3% of women a sorority. 36% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and the median family income is $76,205.
What this means for your student
- Course rigor is rated Very Important here, so the senior-year schedule should hold its AP, IB or honors depth rather than lighten. Stony Brook recommends 19 academic units.
- 70% of enrolled students are at a 3.75 GPA or above, averaging 94.48 on a 100 scale. Below that line the rest of the application has to carry real weight.
- The waitlist is live but thin: 3,462 of 5,191 who waited were admitted, about 67%.
- Its highest-earning major returns $128,966 five years out against $33,435 at the other end, a gap wider than the one between most schools.
- See where your student actually stands: calculate their GPA and compare it against the distribution above.
Common questions about Stony Brook
What GPA do you need for Stony Brook?
70% of enrolled students at Stony Brook had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 94.48 on a 100 scale, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
Does the Stony Brook waitlist move?
5,191 students accepted a place on the Stony Brook waiting list and 3,462 were admitted in the 2025-2026 cycle.
What do Stony Brook graduates earn?
Stony Brook graduates earn a median $74,502 ten years after entering, and 85% out-earn a typical high school graduate within six years.
Other schools families compare with Stony Brook
Where these numbers come from
Admissions figures: Stony Brook’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set, published here, factor grid re-read from it on 2026-09-20. Earnings, debt, net price and graduation rates: College Scorecard (2022-2023). Unreported values show as “Not reported”.